Pipelines are commonly used to connect individual petroleum wells to more central facilities. Historically these pipelines, or so called gathering lines, have been constructed from lengths of steel pipe, field assembled by welding. In certain applications, where pressure and temperature requirements permit, the use of steel pipe is being replaced by composite plastic/fiberglass pipe. This composite pipe is field supplied in spools of considerable length, greatly reducing the number of field joins required and providing other advantages such as flexibility and corrosion resistance. Nonetheless, while the number of joins is reduced, field joining between the ends of pipe lengths is still required as are connections of the pipe to other elements of the pipeline system. Thus effecting connections at the ends of composite pipes having a high degree of structural and leakage integrity are required. One method or type of connection is made by crimping a fitting to the end of a length of pipe.